Former Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces Accused of Embezzling Over 12 Million Hryvnias Intended for Drones
Law enforcement officials uncovered a scheme to embezzle more than 12 million hryvnias in government funds that were intended for the purchase of unmanned aerial systems for the Ukrainian military. The mastermind behind the scheme was a former commander of a territorial defense brigade in the Kyiv region, who was leading the unit at the time the crime was committed.
According to the case file, he organized the purchase of 580 FPV drones totaling over 12 million hryvnias. He also enlisted the help of others in this effort. The drones were subsequently supposed to be delivered to Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in the Kharkiv region.
However, according to available data, the contracts for the supply of weapons were fictitious. None of the drones reached the Ukrainian defenders, which negatively impacted the execution of tasks on the front lines. Despite this, the perpetrators arranged the paperwork to make it appear as though the drones had been transferred to the military. Specifically, the official provided forged UAV acceptance and transfer certificates for signature without any actual delivery having taken place.
Afterward, the suspect demanded that personnel conceal the absence of the drones during an inspection and process the write-off of the equipment as lost on the battlefield. SBU officers detained the official at his place of duty along with three other individuals. In accordance with an order from the commander of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the suspect was dismissed from his position. He was notified of the charges against him.
An investigation is currently underway to hold all individuals involved in the scheme accountable.
Source: Security Service of Ukraine.
A Russian agent who was planning attacks on Ukrzaliznytsia was detained in Lviv.
As a reminder, in the Rivne region, an FSB agent coordinated Russian strikes and planned the murders of military personnel.
In addition, in the Kharkiv region, the Security Service of Ukraine exposed and detained a Russian agent who was assisting the occupiers with the registration of Starlink terminals. According to the investigation, he registered at least 27 satellite communication terminals for representatives of the Russian Federation.
The SBU and the National Police uncovered 12 schemes to evade mobilization in eight regions.
In Volyn, the State Bureau of Economic Security uncovered tax evasion totaling nearly ₴28 million in the flower business.
In Kyiv, a scheme to evade mobilization involving a former official was uncovered.
